Sleepless nights for Hylton after penalty miss

Mike Simmonds

Hatters forward Danny Hylton admitted he had a sleepless night after his penalty miss at Grimsby on Saturday

The Luton striker stepped up in stoppage time to win the game for his side, only to see keeper James McKeown save with his legs and then the rebound disallowed, as Town had to make do with a 1-1 draw.

When they put their trust in you to score it, I felt I’d maybe let them down a little bit.

Danny Hylton

Speaking about the opportunity, Hylton said: “I didn’t really sleep too well after that at the weekend. I was gutted, not because of my goal tally or anything, I was gutted because the boys worked so hard.

“To take the penalty in the last minute and when they put their trust in you to score it, I felt I’d maybe let them down a little bit.

“I can’t do anything about that now. I’m just happy to get back on the scoresheet (against Yeovil) and hopefully I can start playing well and start scoring goals.”

Asked why a foul was called on home defender Danny Collins as he headed in the rebound, Hylton said: “Probably because it’s just me. Referees don’t like me.

“He (Mark Haywood) said that big Ollie Palmer and the defender, Ollie Palmer pushed him. I’ve seen it and I don’t know how he’s seen the push. I’m not too sure there. He was a bit too quick to blow up there.

“Maybe he didn’t want the goal to go in, maybe he thought he’d given a penalty so he’d just keep it at 1-1, I don’t know, you’d have to ask him, so it wasn’t to be.”

Hylton’s miss had taken his run of games without scoring to seven, and although it looked like that might continue against Yeovil on Tuesday night, heading over an open goal, he did finally end his wait, slotting home from Isaac Vassell’s pass.

The former Oxford forward admitted he hadn’t been overly satisfied with his recent performances, saying: “I’ve been a bit disappointed with myself. I don’t think I’ve been playing too well recently.

“The penalty miss, that’s why I say I was struggling a bit at the weekend, because I didn’t think I was playing too well.

“I’d missed games because I had the suspension and it was playing on my mind a little bit, so I’m happy to get the goal.

“It will settle me down a bit and make me feel a bit calmer in my head. Hopefully I’ll stay in the team, keep trying to play well and keep trying to score.”

Meanwhile, Hylton played on Saturday for the first time since September without the mask he wore to protect his cracked cheekbone and on the decision to remove it, he added: “I could have taken it off a little while ago but I was scoring goals and playing well so I thought I’d keep it on.

“Then I had a little run of not scoring and I wasn’t too happy with the way I was playing, so I thought the mask had to go.

“Maybe it was a good decision after I scored (against Yeovil). I was doubting it on Saturday though, I thought maybe I’d have to bring it back. I’m fine so it’s going to stay in the physio’s bag.”